BACKGROUND: The mucopolysaccharide disorders (MPS) are a group of recessively inherited metabolic disorders resulting in progressive physical and cognitive decline. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase databases were searched, alongside manual screening, to identify relevant literature. Papers were included in the review if they were published in a peer ...

BACKGROUND: The recent literature shows an increased incidence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). On the other hand, there are no published studies related to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in this patient group. Our aim was to assess the effect of CPAP ...

In the present study, BiVO(4)/CuCr(2)O(4) nanocomposites synthesized via a chemical route are applied as a photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye. The photocatalytic activity results indicated a substantial degradation of MB dye by ∼90% over the surface of nanocomposite catalyst under visible light illumination. The nanocomposite showed ...

During the 26 years that have elapsed since its discovery, activin-A, a member of the transforming growth factor β super-family originally discovered from its capacity to stimulate follicle-stimulating hormone production by cultured pituitary gonadotropes, has been established as a key regulator of various fundamental biological processes, such as development, homeostasis, inflammation, ...

INTRODUCTION: Total splenectomy leads to an immunocompromised state, with an increased lifetime risk of infection. The lifetime risk of developing overwhelming postsplenectomy infection is 5 %, with a mortality rate of approximately 50 %. In addition to vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis, partial splenectomy is believed to improve patient safety. METHODS: We performed ...

Data on seasonal differences in stroke incidence are conflicting. Little is known about seasonal variability in etiological stroke subtypes and population-based data on possible trigger factors are lacking. The Ludwigshafen Stroke Study is a prospective population-based stroke registry. All residents of the city of Ludwigshafen who suffer from acute stroke ...

Large scale screening experiments have become the workhorse of molecular biology, producing data at an ever increasing scale. The interpretation of such data, particularly in the context of a protein interaction network, has the potential to shed light on the molecular pathways underlying the phenotype or the process in question. ...

Noble metal/semiconductor nanocomposites play an important role in high efficient photocatalysis. Herein, we demonstrate a facile strategy for fabrication of hollow Pt-ZnO nanocomposite microspheres with hierarchical structure under mild solvothermal conditions using Zn (CH(3)COO)(2)·2H(2)O and HPtCl(4) as the precursors, and polyethylene glycol-6000 (PEG-6000) and ethylene glycol as the reducing agent ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop a simple clinical algorithm for prediction of donor and recipient death using 'yes'or 'no' questions through the process of recursive partitioning for patients undergoing laser therapy for twin to twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). The intent was to identify a subset of ...

Free-standing, micropatterned silica nanotube membranes are in situ fabricated using a micropatterned silica-coated collagen hybrid hydrogel as template. They are substrate-free, and not only maintained their micropatterned microstructure well, but also exhibited strong cell contact guidance ability to direct cell alignment and differentiation, indicating their good potential for biomedical applications.

The aim of this study was to survey microorganisms from the deep surface sediment samples collected from the Sea of Japan and to screen them for antimicrobial and antagonistic effects. Phylogenetic analysis revealed most isolates sharing 98-100 % sequence similarity to recognized species, including those recovered previously from marine or saline ...

We would like to report the rare occurrence of a pregnancy in a non-communicating rudimentary uterine horn in an obese woman which evaded diagnosis, ruptured, and resulted in major intra-abdominal hemorrhage. A nulliparous woman, with a BMI of 36, presented at 21-weeks gestation with a history of abdominal pain. Prior ...

It is clear that at pathologically high chronic levels reactive oxygen species (ROS) are cytotoxic. However, it is also now clear that during contraction ROS are produced at low (physiological) levels and play an important role in cell signalling in normal healthy skeletal muscle (reviewed in (Powers and Jackson, 2008)). ...

We tested the effect of OS (oxidative stress) inhibition in rats fed with an FRD (fructose-rich diet; 10% w/v in drinking water) for 3 weeks. Normal adult male rats received a standard CD (commercial diet) or an FRD without or with an inhibitor of NADPH-oxidase, APO (apocynin; 5 mM in ...

We report that ultra-small, monodisperse, water-dispersible magnetite (Fe(3)O(4)) nanoparticles can be synthesized by a facile one-pot approach using trisodium citrate as crystal grain growth inhibitor and stabilizer in polyol solution. The resultant Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles exhibit an excellent long-term colloidal stability in various buffer solutions without any modification. They are also ...

In this perspective, an overview of the recent progress in the combination of quantum mechanical (QM) simulations of spectroscopies with classical models to include environment effects is presented. Both atomistic and continuum formulations of the classical models are reviewed together with a critical analysis of their respective pros and cons. ...

The ∼635 Ma Marinoan glaciation is marked by dramatic Earth system perturbations. Deposition of nonmass-dependently (17)O-depleted sulfate (SO(4)(2-)) in worldwide postglacial sediments is, thus far, unique to this glaciation. It is proposed that an extremely high-pCO(2) atmosphere can result in highly (17)O-depleted atmospheric O(2), or the Marinoan Oxygen-17 Depletion (MOSD) ...

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this retrospective review was to present our experience in using the Solitaire™ AB Neurovascular Remodeling Device in the stent-assisted treatment of intracranial aneurysms, focusing on midterm results. To date, this is the largest series using the Solitaire™ AB Neurovascular Remodeling Device. METHODS: From February 2008 to ...

The development of peptides and proteins is hampered by their rapid clearance in liver and other body tissues by proteolytic enzymes, so these drugs are difficult to administer except for the injection. Here, we designed and fabricated a novel biodegradable and redox-responsive submicron capsules through the layer-by-layer technique with poly(L-aspartic ...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate time trend changes in frequency of drunkenness among Italian adolescents. Gender convergence in adolescent drunkenness was evaluated in different geographical regions. METHODS: The survey reported here is part of the larger cross-sectional (2002/2006/2010) "Health Behaviour in School-aged Children" (HBSC) trans-national study. ...

The cell is a crowded volume, with estimated mean mass percentage of macromolecules and of water ranging from 7.5 to 45 and 55 to 92.5 %, respectively. However, the concentrations of macromolecules and water at the nanoscale within the various cell compartments are unknown. We recently developed a new approach, correlative ...

The indication for mandatory screening colonoscopies in liver transplant candidates is controversial. Since the introduction of MELD-based allocation, patients with advanced liver disease and often severe comorbidities are prioritized for liver transplantation (LT). This study evaluated safety and outcome of colonoscopy in this high-risk patient group. During a two-yr period, ...

Abstract The natural history of the chronic phase (CP) of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and the high response rates achieved with BCR-ABL inhibitor therapy necessitate long-term evaluation of survival-based outcome measures. Prior to the availability of long-term BCR-ABL inhibitor data, short-term surrogate end points predictive of longer-term outcomes have been ...

In a preliminary test, four single hairs of a drug abuser were analyzed for the presence of drugs by MALDI Fourier transform mass spectrometry (MALDI-FTMS). Washed hair strains were directly fixed on a sample plate using pressure stable, double-sided adhesive tape; α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid matrix was manually spotted onto the hair ...

When people discuss their experiences, they can later report seeing things that they never saw, simply because they heard about those things in the discussion. One factor that may contribute to this effect is the order in which people speak; some research has investigated this issue, but it remains unclear ...

Donations after circulatory death (DCD) lung grafts are an alternative to extend the donor pool in lung transplantation. This study investigates the use of an in situ lung perfusion system (ISLP) in the donor to evaluate category I-II lungs. Pigs were sacrificed by ventricular fibrillation. All animals underwent 20 min of ...

OBJECTIVES: To examine possible differences in the correlates of positive and negative self-rated health (SRH). METHODS: Data for 2,127 men and 2,385 women in the 25-74 age group came from the Estonian Health Interview Survey 2006. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to study the association of socio-demographic, physical and ...

Panobinostat is a potent oral pan-deacetylase inhibitor that leads to acetylation of intracellular proteins, inhibits cellular proliferation, and induces apoptosis in leukemic cell lines. A phase Ia/II study was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of daily panobinostat, administered on two schedules: three times a week every week ...

Adenosine A(2A) receptor (A(2A)R) is a G-protein-coupled receptor highly expressed in basal ganglia. Its expression levels are severely reduced in Huntington's disease (HD), and several pharmacological therapies have shown its implication in this neurodegenerative disorder. The main goal of this study was to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that ...

DNA primers were designed from the 18S rRNA sequence from the relevant digenean trematode Dicrocoelium dendriticum to evaluate a polymerase chain reaction-based diagnostic method of this parasite from its eggs in faeces of naturally and experimentally infected sheep. In order to get DNA from D. dendriticum eggs, several hatching mechanisms ...

Pure selected cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae starters are regularly used in the wine industry. A survey of S. cerevisiae populations during red wine fermentations was performed in order to evaluate the influence of oenological additives on the implantation of the inoculated strain. Pilot scale fermentations (500 L) were conducted with active ...

A stereoselective and efficient method for free radical addition of benzyl thiol to aryl acetylene in the presence of Et(3)B-hexane has been developed for the synthesis of (Z) and (E)-styryl benzyl sulfides where base catalyzed hydrothiolations have failed. The scope of this reaction was successfully extended for the synthesis of ...

Continuous, real-time observation of bacterial growth has a great advantage for studying the mechanisms of interactions of various compounds with the bacterial cell membrane. With the use of physical methods, which are specific for assessment of continuous changes in turbidity over time, we have shown that bacterial growth was affected ...

BACKGROUND: Second-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) have provided better results over both bare-metal stents and first-generation DES. However, comparative data of different first- and second-generation DES in a clinical setting of all-comers have not been well studied. METHODS AND RESULTS: Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics and in-hospital and follow-up events were ...

PURPOSE: Drug resistance and severe toxicities are limitations when handling 5-FU. We have developed a triple liposomal formulation of 5-FU combined to 2'-deoxyinosine and folinic acid to improve its efficacy-toxicity balance. METHODS: Stealth liposomes were obtained using the thin-film method. Antiproliferative activity was tested on human colorectal and breast cancer ...

While many studies have compared Tibetans and low-altitude born Han living at high altitude, few have carefully controlled the chronological age at which lowlanders migrated, the length of time they had lived at high altitude, their nutrition, and their socio-economic status. This has produced an array of results that frequently ...

This paper presents a novel bio-inspired habituation function for robots under control by an artificial spiking neural network. This non-associative learning rule is modelled at the synaptic level and validated through robotic behaviours in reaction to different stimuli patterns in a dynamical virtual 3D world. Habituation is minimally represented to ...

A simple one-step method is reported to synthesize low-temperature solution-processed transition metal oxides (TMOs) of molybdenum oxide and vanadium oxide with oxygen vacancies for a good hole-transport layer (HTL). The oxygen vacancy plays an essential role for TMOs when they are employed as HTLs: TMO films with excess oxygen are ...

OBJECTIVE: We retrospectively assessed the incidence of hemorrhagic complications associated with pacemaker implantation in patients receiving one or more antiplatelet agents. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective multicenter case-control study. Data were collected from three cardiac units in Germany from 2006 to 2010. METHODS: A total of 495 pacemaker patients were enrolled. ...

Gene deletion studies in mice have revealed critical roles for interleukins-4 and -13 in asthma development, with the latter controlling lung airways resistance and mucous secretion. We have now developed human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against the human IL-13 receptor α1 subunit that prevent activation of the receptor complex by both ...

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the modified checklist for autism in toddlers (M-CHAT) in a diverse rural American low-socioeconomic status (SES) sample. Four hundred and forty-seven English (n = 335) and Spanish (n = 112) speaking caregivers completed the M-CHAT during their toddler's 18- or 24-month well visit in a Southwest Virginia ...

Large field screening programs and laboratory experiments in many countries have indicated that rice is allelopathic and releases allelochemical(s) into its environment. A number of compounds, such as phenolic acids, fatty acids, phenylalkanoic acids, hydroxamic acids, terpenes, and indoles, have been identified as potential rice allelochemicals. However, the studies reviewed ...

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the joint role of demographic, clinical, psychological and family coping variables as predictors of adherence patterns to auto-adjusting positive airway pressure (APAP). METHODS: A total of 153 patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were assessed during a 6-months APAP ...

The salicylate 1,2-dioxygenase (SDO) from the bacterium Pseudaminobacter salicylatoxidans BN12 is a versatile gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (GDO) that converts in addition to gentisate (2,5-dihydroxybenzoate) also various monohydroxylated substrates. Several variants of this enzyme were rationally designed based on the previously determined enzyme structure and sequence differences between the SDO and the ...